Postnatal growth of the small intestine can be divided into two separate but complementary mechanisms; mucosal growth and organ (cylindrical) growth. Mucosal growth, observed by increasing villus area and crypt length, is upregulated during weaning, compared to pre or post-weaned time frames. The dynamics of organ growth, mediated by the process of crypt fission, is unknown during this period of postnatal development. Keratinocyte Growth Factor (KGF) and Hepatocyte Growth Factor (HGF) are mesenchymally derived ligands which have been demonstrated to have trophic effects on the epithelium of the gastrointestinal tract in vitro and in vivo during embryonic development, repair/restitution and tumour progression. This study explores the hypothesis that small intestine organ growth occurs independently to that of mucosal growth and the mechanisms of growth are mediated by differential expression of either HGF or KGF within the pericryptal mesenchyme derived cells (fibroblasts). / Thesis (MApSc(BiomedicalScience))--University of South Australia, 2004.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:ADTP/267475 |
| Creators | Gordon, Colin R. |
| Source Sets | Australiasian Digital Theses Program |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Rights | copyright under review |
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